Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
  • H04L9/08—Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords
  • H04L9/0816—Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
  • H04L9/0819—Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s)
  • H04L9/083—Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
  • H04L63/06—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for supporting key management in a packet data network
  • H04L63/062—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for supporting key management in a packet data network for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
  • H04L63/08—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for authentication of entities
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
  • H04L9/08—Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords
  • H04L9/0816—Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
  • H04L9/0819—Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s)
  • H04L9/0825—Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
  • H04L9/08—Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords
  • H04L9/0816—Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
  • H04L9/0838—Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these
  • H04L9/0841—Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these involving Diffie-Hellman or related key agreement protocols
  • H04L9/0844—Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these involving Diffie-Hellman or related key agreement protocols with user authentication or key authentication, e.g. ElGamal, MTI, MQV-Menezes-Qu-Vanstone protocol or Diffie-Hellman protocols using implicitly-certified keys
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
  • H04L63/18—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to systems and methods for conducting communications over networks, and more particularly to a system and method for conducting communications securely over a public network or via any communication link.
• the present invention is therefore directed to the problem of developing a method and apparatus for communicating securely over a public network that does not rely on self- authentication of a trusted third party.
• the present invention solves these and other problems by providing a novel mathematic exchange technique within a novel trust model.
• the present invention relates to systems and methods for the secure exchange of numeric authentication and encryption keys and for authenticated encryption of any accompanying message content.
• An exemplary embodiment of the method is applied at the socket layer of the network, and is an improvement on the commonly referred to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) technology.
• SSL Secure Sockets Layer
• TLS Transport Layer Security
• SSLX Secure Sockets Layer eXtended
• the performance improvement allows a trusted third party to function not only as a provider of initial authentication information to network participants but also as a provider in real-time of new authentication and encryption key information between the participants per session.
• a method for secure communication by a processor with a server includes generating a message to the server by employing a one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process using a predetermined session master key and sending the message to the server.
• the message includes a random number used by the processor in the one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process.
• a reply from the server includes a second random number, which reply was generated by the server by employing the one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process using a predetermined session master key and the second random number.
• the processor Upon receipt of the reply, the processor generates a message key to decrypt the reply using the second random number and a same predetermined session master key used by the server to create the reply.
• a method for secure communication by a processor with a server includes generating a message key from a random number and a master key and employing the message key to encrypt a request to the server. The encrypted request and the random number are then sent to the server.
• the message key is formed by combining the random number and the master key and then selecting a subset of the combined random number and the master key.
• a method for secure communication between an application executable on a computer and a web server coupled to the computer includes participating by the application in an initial authentication process with the server and wrapping every GET and POST request message to the server in an SSLX-EA exchange after the initial authentication process.
• a setting on the server is provided that defines an SSLX-EA session length.
• One possible setting for an SSLX session length in a web architecture comprises one HTML page so that each page will have a unique session master key exchange and message key to include the request and reply of all objects on each page.
• a method for secure communication by a server with a processor includes generating a reply to the processor by employing a one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process using a predetermined session master key and sending the reply to the server.
• the reply includes a random number used by the server in the one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process.
• a request received from the processor includes a second random number, which request was generated by the processor by employing the one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process using a predetermined session master key and the second random number.
• the server generates a message key to decrypt the request using the second random number and a same predetermined session master key used by the processor to create the request.
• a method for secure communication by a server with a processor includes generating a message key from a random number and a master key and employing the message key to encrypt a reply to the processor.
• the server sends an encrypted reply and the random number to the processor.
• a method for secure communication between an application executable on a computer and a web server coupled to the computer includes participating by the server in an initial authentication process with the application and wrapping every reply to every received GET and POST request message from the application in an SSLX-EA exchange after the initial authentication process.
• a setting on the server is provided that defines an SSLX-EA session length.
• One possible setting for an SSLX session length in a web architecture comprises one HTML page so that each page will have a unique session master key exchange and message key to include the request and reply of all objects on each page.
• a method for communicating between a program executing on a processor and a server coupled to the processor includes performing an initial authentication process of authenticating the server to the program and authenticating the program to the server and authenticating and encrypting each message between the server and the application after performing the initial authentication process.
• the authenticating and encrypting may include employing a one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process to create every GET and POST request message from the program to the server using a predetermined session master key and a unique random number included with every GET and POST request message.
• the authenticating and encrypting may also include employing a one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process to create every reply from the server using a predetermined session master key and a unique random number included with every reply.
• a method for communicating between a computer and a server includes, during each session of communication between the computer and the server, wrapping each request by the computer in an SSLX-EA key exchange and ciphertext at a start of the session and sending each wrapped request to the server and wrapping each request by the computer in cipher text only (e.g., encrypting the request) if not at the start of a session and sending each wrapped request to the server.
• the server then unwraps the SSLX-EA key exchange and decrypts the request if at the start of the session, or merely decrypts the request only if not at the start of the session.
• the server then wraps a reply in an SSLX-EA key exchange if a session length is set for every communication, or wraps the reply in cipher text only using the session key if the session length has not been exceeded.
• the server then returns a reply to the computer.
• the computer unwraps the reply and performs an SSLX-EA key exchange decrypt or a cipher decrypt only based on the session length setting.
• FIG 1 is a diagram of a computer network with the SSLX components according to one aspect of the present invention.
• FIG 2 is a diagram of the normal SSLX trusted communication after brokered third part trust from a Directory Service (DS) according to another aspect of the present invention.
• DS Directory Service
• FIG 3 is a diagram of the SSLX Authentication Handshake according to yet another aspect of the present invention.
• FIG 4 is a diagram of a Verified Setup (VSU) according to still another aspect of the present invention.
• FIG 5 is an SSL Session Flow.
• FIG 6 is the SSLX Session Flow according to yet another aspect of the present invention.
• FIG 7 is an SSL Handshake Flow for a New Session.
• FIG 8 is the SSLX Handshake Flow for a New Session according to still another aspect of the present invention.
• FIG 9 is an SSL Handshake Flow for a Resumed Session.
• FIG 10 is the SSLX Handshake Flow for a New Session according to yet another aspect of the present invention.
• the present invention comprises a novel process and related computer program embodied in a computer readable and usable medium for ensuring private communications between application programs running on different computers. Descriptions of specific applications are provided only as examples. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments and examples shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
• SSLX-EA which provides embedded authentication in the encryption process
• SSLX-EA begins with a shared authenticated key that is provided out-of-band. Then instead of using the key for simple decryption (with its vulnerabilities), SSLX-EA uses the ability to decrypt properly as probabilistic authentication because the shared key is not used directly for decryption but rather to generate, through a one-way process, a unique message key for every message. Should an adversary discover one of the message keys and properly decrypt a single message, this does not lead to the ability to decrypt the next message nor impersonate a sender and generate proper SSLX-EA output.
• SSLX-EA keeps the sanctity of the original shared key (Kl) as an authentication token because knowing the random number (R) and the message key (W) does not lead to the alphabet used (A) or to the original shared key (Kl). Moreover, knowledge of any message key (W) does not lead to the next or any future message keys (W). SSLX-EA closes the simple-decryption hole that exists in SSL by adding a fast authentication mechanism to every communication.
• an application can be any software program or operating system.
• web server or servers can be any device coupled to a network capable of communicating with another device or application on the network.
• SSLX as a process for embedded authentication and data encryption may be placed at any level of a communications network. It can work at the application layer placed into web browsers and web servers; and work as well all the way down through the session, transport and network layer when placed into an operating system, router or any network switch device. The features of speed, low-power consumption and small code size allow SSLX to work in wireless architectures (voice and data) as well as any sensor or other remote network communications platforms. SSLX is a protocol independent of the communications architecture, allowing it to work anywhere network participants need secure, private messaging.
• SSLX is available to provide authenticated and secure communications in a World Wide Web architecture. Once in place, SSLX operates as a software component of a web server and within the software web browser application. Another software application resides at a third party, which constitutes a respected, independent public party that brokers trust and helps provide the secure channel between the browser and the server. The third party is called a Directory Service (DS).
• DS Directory Service
• Directory Services can operate in two different ways: one as an open entity available to the public, or as a private entity operating to broker trust between private servers and a closed-community of web browsers.
• the private entity operating to broker trust between private servers and a closed communication of web browsers is called a Private Directory Service.
• the last piece of the SSLX web example is a SSLX Public Administrator (PA), which is another public body responsible for managing the public Directory Services; the PA does not provide any part in brokering the electronic mechanisms between the three other parties.
• PA SSLX Public Administrator
• SSLX-EA Embedded Authentication Session Master Keys
• the browser obtains the SMK through one of two methods: [0044] 1. Performing an SSLX Authentication Handshake; or [0045] 2. Performing an out of band process that entails the end-user authenticating to the server owner, and the server creates and stores the key associated with this particular browser, while the browser owner enters the key into the browser application.
• Normal Operation 20 occurs when a web browser 21 sends every GET and POST request to the web server 22 wrapped in an SSLX-EA exchange (T-BRl) 23.
• SSLX-EA exchange means using a message key to encrypt the request, which message key is generated from a session master key (SMK) combined with a random number that is included with the encrypted request to the server.
• SMSK session master key
• This process is also called a one pass key generation probabilistic authentication process.
• the browser 21 authenticates each and every GET and POST request as well as encrypting it.
• the web server 22 replies using the same known SMK with content wrapped in an SSLX-EA exchange (T-WS2) 24. Similarly to the browser, the server authenticates each and every response to the browser as well as encrypting the content being transmitted. The web browser 21 then unwraps the reply content and displays it to the user (T-BRS) 25.
• T-WS2 SSLX-EA exchange
• Each and every exchange can be uniquely encrypted and delivered; or each round- trip (including request and reply) can be uniquely encrypted.
• a setting on the server is provided that defines an SSLX-EA session length.
• An exemplary embodiment of a setting for an SSLX session length in a web architecture comprises one HTML page so that each page has a unique SMK exchange and message key to include the request and reply of all the objects on that page.
• the SSLX communications traffic is quite simple: the web browser 21 wraps each request in either an SSLX-EA key exchange and ciphertext (if session start) or cipher text only (if inside session) and sends it to the trusted web server 22.
• the server 22 either unwraps the SSLX-EA key exchange and decrypts the request, or simply decrypts the request, then processes the request to obtain the content, then wraps the reply in either an SSLX- EA key exchange (if session length is set for every communication) or cipher text using the session key and returns it to the browser 21.
• the browser 21 then unwraps the content, performing an SSLX-EA key exchange decrypt or just a cipher decrypt, and processes it.
• SSLX uses any standard electronic cipher to encrypt and decrypt the cipher text.
• the SSLX Authentication Handshake process is used when only the server has SSLX-EA keys to start.
• the SSLX Authentication Handshake is an operation at the start of an anonymous web surfer connection to a web site page where sensitive/private/secure information will be exchanged and the surfer will be shown proof that the web site connected to is, indeed, the intended recipient of the information. This is the initialization of secure communications between the browser and the server.
• the Authentication Handshake involves checking that the server is the server it is supposed to be. There are only two logical ways to do this: [0053] 1. Previous knowledge; or [0054] 2. Ask a third party - preferably a trusted one.
• the first method implies a previous relationship - which is the Trusted Operation mode, with both parties providing proof through their previous encounter (key establishment out of band).
• the SSLX implementation of the "ask someone" third party is performed by what is termed a Directory Service/Server (DS).
• An SSLX DS functions as a public, known entity that holds the pertinent information to (securely) communicate with any particular directory member.
• An SSLX DS in a web infrastructure would have a known static IP address, operating a simple SSLX application and database for routing real-time requests and replies.
• the requests are secured with a requestor-generated public key or with a DS SSLX-EA key if the browser has performed a Verified Set Up (VSU).
• VSU Verified Set Up
• the replies are secured in the same manner, and are half of the necessary information for the requestor to combine and verify that the reply and the web- connected location are one and the same. The other half of the information is provided directly from the web site to the requestor in the requestor-generated public key.
• the information provided to the DS can only have come from a pre-registered SSLX server; the information provided by the DS can be delivered securely in either a pre-registered not-vulnerable (SSLX-EA) or non-registered minimally vulnerable manner (public key);
• the Directory Service/Server is an important component of third party trust that is implemented in a different, more scalable and less exclusive manner than Certificate Authorities (CAs) in SSL/TLS - they also form a more basic and less formal function of simply being a trusted switch as opposed to a registration and repository "authority.”
• the DS network is more like a series of Information Desks that all know about their particular building and members, instead of a hierarchical authority network of CAs that are akin to store security offices.
• Ecommerce trust in an identity exchange is simply a verification that one is buying from a real store on the third floor of a particular building as displayed on the web site, it's much easier and just as valid to ask the helpful attendant at the Info Desk, than it is to go find the security officer.
• the DS network in SSLX does not require interconnectivity of DS operators.
• PA trusted SSLX Public Administrator
• the purpose of the DS is to validate a web server; a direct result of their presence in the Authentication Handshake is that the network of DS switches then enables multiple security levels for the end user.
• the listed options for the AH are included to handle different means of communicating with known and unknown DSs. This results in SSLX being able to offer different security levels.
• the risk associated with even the lowest level of security provided by the AH options are well defined and limited; the risk at the highest level is almost nonexistent - there are out-of-band options as backup of the only vulnerabilities.
• the levels are based on three different use models from the end-user browser perspective.
• the server will always have participated in at least one Directory Service Verified Set Up, so it is able to perform at the highest level at all times - active server management in setting up with more and multiple DSs will allow the server to participate more fully with the browser and not lower the browser's security expectation (setting), since the end-user has the ability to choose which way it would like the server to reply through the DS.
• Private DSs can be established where end-users are invited to perform a Verified Set Up (VSU) and these do not have a listing in the PA.
• VSU Verified Set Up
• the web content owner is mandating that the only information that will be dispersed is using the High Security Level for any communication - in this case, the server will be set to not reply to any browser that has not undergone the VSU with the private DS.
• the Authentication Handshake (AH) 30 occurs when a web browser 31 first creates a public and private key pair and sends an open request to the web server 32 for a trusted SSLX-EA Session Master Key (SMK) to be wrapped in the public key (A-BRl) 33.
• the request 33 has an Authentication Request value that determines which, and with what elements, of the following is performed.
• the web server 32 will make two replies after generating the SMK for this browser - one directly back to the browser with the l sl half of the SMK wrapped using the browser's sent public key (A-WS2) 34; and the other to the DS 39 with the 2 nd half of the SMK wrapped using the web server's DS key (received during Verified Set Up) (A-WS3) 35.
• the browser 31 then sends an open request to the Directory Service (Server) (DS) 39 specified by the Web Server 32 for the other half of the SMK wrapped in the browser's DS key (if received during Verified Set Up), or a public key (if the browser has either not verified with this DS, or the browser has not verified with any DS and this is then the Server's DS by default) (A-BR4) 36.
• the DS 39 will relay the 2 nd half of the SMK back to the browser 31 using the browser's DS or public key (A-DS5) 37.
• the browser 31 will decrypt the SMK to then begin secure communications with the web server 32 using Normal Operation (Trusted) (A-BR6) 38.
• A-BR6 Normal Operation
• a switch-based relay of the SMK through the DS 39 is made to both speed up the process (i.e., no encryption or decryption is done at the DS 39 during normal communications between the server and browser, but of course encryption/decryption is conducted during the exchange of the portions of the SMK) and to assure both the server owner and the browser owner that the DS 39 does not 'know' the relayed half of the actual SMK - it would be possible to store the exchange and perform a decrypt, but even if this were done, it is only one half of the key and is worthless. Any operating DS 39 should be required to demonstrate that it is not storing exchanges.
• the manner in which the Security Level options are selected in the AH 30 is as follows: In the initial browser request, depending on the security setting, a list of DSs where the browser has performed a VSU is sent to the server, along with a public key for the reply. If the setting is High, the browser will send its list of VSU DSs; if the setting is Medium, it will send either the list (if it has one) or a blank list. If the setting is Low, then the browser will set a flag and tell the server to completely disregard using a DS and send back the authentication reply in total.
• the server When the server receives the list, it selects one that it has in its list of where it has undergone a VSU - or if the browser list is blank, the server defaults to using its DS; if the flag is set for security level Low then the server will reply in total directly to the browser. [0084] For Medium or High settings, the server will default its DS if its list of DSs does not match any of those in the browser DS list. As the server readies to reply to the browser, it first generates a DS ID for this AH. Then the server will reply to the browser (using the browser public key) and include the DS as the selection as well as this transmission's DS ID, along with the pertinent 1 st half of the Session Master Key (SMK).
• SSK Session Master Key
• the server also replies to the DS using its DS key with the 2 nd half of the SMK; the server will always have a DS key to, at minimum, the CDS so the server-to-DS reply will always be SSLX-EA-encrypted.
• the browser When the browser receives the server reply, it unwraps the public key encrypted content. In a Low setting, the browser will process all of the content and the SMK is now shared and the browser and server are ready for Normal Operation. For Medium or High settings, the reply will include the server-selected DS. If this DS is not what the browser expected (was not in the list) and the browser security level is set to High, a warning should appear; if it was in the list, then the request and reply to the DS will use the browser's DS SSLX-EA key (for High and Medium). If the setting is for Medium and the DS is not in the list (because it wasn't in the sent list or there was no list), then the browser will use its public key for the DS request and reply communication.
• Verified Server (Optional Browser) Setup
• Verified Setup The purpose of the Verified Setup is to establish a known relationship between two parties; in SSLX, this is between a server and a DS, or between a browser and a DS. At minimum, every server must undergo the Verified Setup (VSU) with at least one Directory Service/Server (DS). This establishes the minimum security of the SSLX system without end user participation to be Medium as described above. The optional browser participation in a VSU, to at least one DS, establishes the ability to communicate with High security.
• VSU Verified Setup
• DS Directory Service/Server
• SSLX In order to verify the initial authenticity of two parties in an electronic communication, it is obviously best to have some kind of human interaction.
• SSLX there are three means offered, one that entails minimal human interaction and a second automatic process. The entire impetus of a VSU is the act of verification.
• SSLX method there is always the opportunity to further verify authenticity by 'double checking' in some other out-of-band method in addition to what is described here - such as phone, mail or additional personal interaction between the server owner and the DS operator.
• the operating code of an SSLX server and the browser will be set up to handle any of these methods, if not automatically, with human interaction (cut and paste, typed entry of the key, etc.). While some might argue that both email and a public key interaction are susceptible to Man-In-The-Middle (MITM) attacks, whether used separately or together, the most important aspect to remember about a Verified Set Up is that prior to any SSLX traffic of any kind, an additional out-of-band check can be made concerning the authenticity of the set up. It will be assumed that those web sites with an active interest in the security system and their customer's perceptions and expectations will generally use some kind of out-of-band spot checking of their set ups.
• MITM Man-In-The-Middle
• the server (or browser) 41 first creates a public and private key pair, and sends an open request to the Directory Service 42 for a trusted SSLX-EA DS Key (DSK) to be wrapped in the public key (V-WSBl) 43.
• the request has an Authentication Request (AR) value that determines which, and with what elements, of the following is performed:
• the DS will make a single reply with the entire DSK sent in an email to the email address specified in the AR
• the DS will make two replies after generating the DSK for this server or browser - one directly back to the server/browser with the 1 st half of the DSK wrapped using the sent public key (V-DS2) 44; and the other in email to the email address specified in the
• the server or browser 41 will allow input of up to the two halves of the
• V-WSB4 new DSK
• V-WSB5 new DSK
• V-WSB5 new DSK
• the DS 42 will send a "denied" message back to the browser or server 41 wrapped in the public key (V-DS6) 48.
• the browser or server 41 will then decrypt the denied message, send a notification to the user and remove the DS from the VSU list (V-DS7) 49.
• both the server and the browser After a Verified Set Up, both the server and the browser maintain a list of the DSs, along with the associated DSKs, and include these in Authentication Requests at SSLX- supported web sites.
• the invention is not limited to sending exactly half two ways, rather a first portion could be sent one path and a second portion could be sent another path, but the size of each portion could be different, as long as the total of both equals the entire DSK. Moreover, more than the necessary portion could be sent. Furthermore, more than two paths could be employed and in this case multiple portions of the DSK could be sent over multiple paths.
• trusted server owner e.g., such as an employee sending an email to an administrator with pertinent authentication information (employee number, etc.) and the administrator replying in email with the key and permanent OpenID).
• ⁇ Kl value is stored, along with an assigned OpenID in the server's Key Distribution Center (KDC).
• KDC Key Distribution Center
• M0D16D PIN, key-encrypted
• the server may be configured to hold an array of OpenDD's and their associated SSLX-EA key in memory. There can also be a 'logout' or 'session end' message sent from the browser to the server upon either an application close or address bar request outside of the server's domain to release the key from server memory.
• SSLX will be using the SSLX-EA method with a static key, it is pertinent to the security model to update Kl at some interval.
• ⁇ Upon reaching the metric equal to the configuration setting in the server for Kl Update (e.g., a number of messages, a random time value, etc.), perform a key update exchange using the new Kl as the plaintext
• Kl Update e.g., a number of messages, a random time value, etc.
• the first pertinent item is the Browser Configuration.
• the browser can set the security level of their SSLX connections.
• VSU DS list (DS Name;DS IP Address, etc.) to web server (Security Setting Flag code is a setting in the Browser Config - Set initially on Browser Set Up to Medium (#3), the default)
• VSU Verified Set Up
• VSU list possibly includes CDS, has at least one
• OpenDD DS ID
• VSU DS (optional VSU DS list or just a DS list, or no list)
• OpenID is a 16-digit random hex number that identifies this browser (for this AH and instance of the browser)
• ° DS ID is a 32-digit random hex number that identifies the request ID that will be found and replied to in the DSDS IP is the public IP address of one of browser's Directory Services (VSU)
• » Domain Name is a public HTTP designation - e.g.,
• ° Browser error message says to look at configuration options, and change if want to connect to this server with current settings [0191] ° Generate log text file entry (if no file, create; if exists, append) of DS info (DS IP)
• Step 3 Perform Step 3 to selected DS, using DS DSK and sending the browser' s OpenID , the DS ID and 2 nd half of SMK /
• the browser has submitted a DS Request (DSR) using either a DSK or a public key for the reply
• DSR DS Request
• Verified Server Optional Browser
• VSU Set Up
• V-WSBl • Remaining flow (all Steps) is for both browser and server; details where noted [0324] o Create Public/Private key pair as per method
• DS Flag code is a setting in the Browser Config - Set initially on Browser Set Up to High (#0), the default. No Domain Name required for browser
• Email address is a public POP address
• SSLX uses the preceding communications architecture and processes to create an authentic and secure channel between the participants. As the entire basis for the SSLX communications routing is the speed and timing of each secure communications, it is imperative that the method of authenticating and encrypting be able to be performed in real-time for any public network user.
• An acceptable electronic encryption comprises the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which can encrypt in real-time.
• AES Advanced Encryption Standard
• a new embedded authentication technique is employed as follows.
• SSLX-Embedded Authentication (SSLX-EA) algorithm is comprised of two parts, one for authentication and one for encryption. Authentication is performed using two new fast and simple low-level functions (combining and extraction) and is performed implicitly (embedded); if the recipient decrypts the cipher text into valid plaintext (an http traffic communication such as a web page or file transfer), then the recipient can safely assume the message came from the correct sender.
• An exemplary encryption function comprises AES-nBit in a stream mode using a child key created by the extraction low-level function as the message key, where riBit is the defined length of the starting shared Key, Ki.
• SSLX-EA [0404] 0.
• One time setup Establish a shared n-bit key, Ki. [SSLX does this by various means as described above, including public key methods and out of band delivery.
• the secret is a key established between the participants (browser and server) and the trusted third party (DS); this key is termed a Directory Service Key (DSK)].
• DSK Directory Service Key
• R should come from an industry standard random number generator/generation technique/process.
• OpenIDSender is the publicly-known identification of the sender and T is an optional n-bit token at the start of the ciphertext for purposes of a quick decrypt authentication check prior to decrypting the entire message (either a static pre-assigned token, a full or partial extract of W out of A, or some other shared value).
• SSLX-EA provides simple and fast authentication and encryption between SSLX participants. It combines randomness (Steps 0 and 1), substantial and sufficient loss of information in the combination and extraction functions (Steps 2 and 3), and the best practice industry standard encryption (Step 4).
• Test Vector The example is a test vector
• nCount Len(sRand)
• nCountl Len(sKeyl)
• nVal nStart + Val("&H” & Mid(sKeyl, i, I)) + 1
• nVal nVal - nCount
• nVal nStart + Val("&H” & Mid(sRand, i, I)) + 1
• nVal nVal - nCount
• nStart nVal
• SSLXEACombine MOD16(sRi, sKli)
• Test Vector The example is a test vector
• nCount Len(sAlphabet)
• nCountl Len(sKeyl)
• nVal nStart + Val("&H” & Mid(sKeyl, i, I)) + 1
• nVal nVal - nCount
• OpenIDSender is the publicly-known identification of the sender
• ' RTRN A string value of: sR, sT, sA, sW
• Test Vector The example is a test vector
• sA SSLXEACombine(sR, sKl)
• sW SSLXEAExtract(sA, sKl )
• SSLXEABundle "R: " & sR & Chr$(13) & Chr$(10) & _
• SSLX meets the same goals as SSL/TLS: authentication and data security, including some of the same example architectures such as the Internet.
• SSLX accomplishes the same goals, but does so in fewer steps - and has less data and calculation demand in those simpler steps. The following shows the distinct differences between SSL/TLS and SSLX.
• SSLX Session Flow follows a general TCP session flow, and SSLX uses different call syntax; e.g., see FIGs 5 and 6.
• AES is the cipher module. Step 2, 9 and 10 of the SSL flow, therefore, are not necessary.
• Steps 5 and 6 are the 'normal operation' of SSL, which are replaced by Steps 3 and 4 in SSLX - using a handshake to define a session key (message key), and then encrypting the contents to send back and forth between the browser and the server.
• the main distinction is that in SSL authentication only occurs once - in the handshake.
• step 4 includes an authenticated SSLX-EA key exchange once every session, which can be defined as short as every transmission.
• the SSLX version has fewer steps and less computational requirement.
• SSL there is a version of the handshake that includes a browser certificate, and that makes the already complicated handshake even more so.
• Step 3 in the SSL handshake is very computationally expensive: a digest of the signed messages in the Hello sequence is calculated to compare with the browser submitted digest. The amount of information passed in these digests and certificates is also considerable (upwards of 3KB). In comparison, the SSLX calculations are less than 10% of the computational effort and bandwidth requirement (256-bits).
• the last SSL session flow is the resumed session handshake, FIG 9.
• this entails both the browser and the server caching the last SSL information to shorten the interaction; and the reason for it is because a new handshake requires so much computational effort.
• SSLX does not need to replicate this flow, because even a resumed session SSL handshake takes more effort than a simple new SSLX Authentication Handshake - and the security of the two can't compare; see FIG 10.
• the SSL resumed session handshake caches are a very serious security liability, whereas a new SSLX Authentication Handshake is not.
• SSLX-EA Session Master Key (SMK) - A SSLX-EA 256-bit Kl key value used between a browser and a server (See SSLX-EA for details).
• OpenID - Analogous to a Session ID an open random 16-digit hex number assigned either per session or long term (used to identify browser and server components).
• KDC Key Distribution Center
• Authentication Handshake The method by which a browser may check and validate (verify) the identity of a web site (server). This process establishes the secure communications channel for browsers and servers who are 'unknown* to each other.
• Normal Operation The process by which a browser and server communicate securely after having established a trusted, keyed relationship (either by an AH or by an out-of-band distribution of SSLX keys).
• Authentication Request The start of an Authentication Handshake, sent from a browser to a web site server. It contains several pieces of information, some optional, including the SSF, a browser-generated public key, a Directory Service/Server's ID, etc.
• SSF Security Setting Flag
• VSU Verified Set Up
• DS Directory Service/Server
• Verified Set Up Request (VSUR) - The initial TCP request from a browser or web server that initiates the VSU process to a particular DS.
• Directory Service/Server A public entity that acts as a trusted switch by which browsers can verify the identity (and therefore trust) a web server. There can be any number of DSs, maintained and allocated by the SSLX Public Administrator.
• DSR DS Request
• AH Authentication Handshake
• DS Flag code A code value sent inside a VSUR that indicates the browser's configuration set security level for VSU processing (High, Medium, Low). There are different options for each DSF code, indicating the reply method from the DS.
• DSK DS Key
• SSLX-EA 256-bit Kl key value used between a browser or server and a DS (obtained during a VSU).
• SSLX Public Administrator An independent governor of all the DSs, maintaining the list of public DSs as well as the policies and procedures for DS adherence.

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